The Visitor
by lindai8792
Summary: What happens when Spencer asks his mother about modern literature? And who else has an opinion?


Authors Note: This is a WWW prompt story. The prompts used (Thanks Rogue!) are a female dominatrix and Twilight and Harry Potter.

I have imported a local character, who some may recognize. No characters were harmed in this tale and with luck, I will not offend the censors.

The visitor's room at Bennington Sanitarium slowly emptied, finally leaving on"y Diana and her son, Spencer Reid¸ and a single dark-haired woman sitting by the window. As was Spencer's custom, he was sitting by his mother as she read from one of her favorite novels.

"Mom, do you ever read anything more contemporary?" Spencer asked cautiously, not knowing if this question would set her off into one of her episodes.

"Of course I do. What kind of teacher would I be if I didn't understand modern literature as well as the classics?" Diana replied, seemly a little distracted by the question. "Why do you ask, Spencer? Have you read something you'd like to discuss?"

"I have read some things lately that I don't understand the popularity of and others that have so much symbolism that I wondered if you had read them as well." Spencer continued with a new rush of enthusiasm, "The first set was called the 'Twilight' series. They were recommended mainly because they are so popular, but they seemed to me to be very immature for the people that recommended reading them. Vampires and werewolves are fascinating subjects, but I just couldn't understand the attraction to a human girl."

The solitary woman by the window, who had shown no interest in the interaction between mother and son, made a seemingly derogatory sound, and turned her head to look at the two. Now she wondered, how does a young man with the intelligence Diana ascribes to him not understand the sexual stimulation of the forbidden between the young girl and the older, more experienced vampire. Still she said nothing.

Diana, having befriended the silent woman in their midst during her more lucid moments, understood the sound for what it was, and asked her son what the other things he had read were. Spencer, after a moment's hesitation, replied, "Harry Potter. That series was sometimes confusing, but the symbolism of good versus evil, the trials of growing up different, and the many differences between the characters and how they interacted seemed to relate more to me than the other series."

As only a mother with a very different view of the world can do, Diana saw the reasons for Spencer's confusion. Such an old soul was her son, but so young in his experience. The only thing she can think of to do is to introduce her son to another like him, but who instead of being young in experience, is far beyond either of them. "Lady Heather, would you like to come join my son and I? I think there are some questions that you may be able to answer better than I."

The dark-haired woman, again without a sound, came to join them. As she began to speak, the voice that came out was soft and sensuous, bringing to mind for Spencer a woman who's pain has transformed her existence. "May I call you Spencer?" she asked. Spencer nodded agreement, and the woman his mother called Lady Heather continued on¸ "I see why you are confused with these books. The 'Twilight' series was a romance with a little adventure mixed in. 'Harry Potter' on the other hand was a children's book that grew up with it's readers. The differences are very great. 'Harry Potter' teaches tolerance, compassion, friendship, and the continuing battle between good and evil, much as the literature you were raised with. 'Twilight' was designed for high school girls who have not matured as much as an older person, and therefore, the forbidden romance was the most emphasized aspect of the books."

Diana nodded her agreement. "Spencer," she said, "not everything you read will have redeeming social values, symbolism or even make sense to you. Sometimes you read to turn your brain off, other times to stimulate it. Neither reason is wrong."

Lady Heather rose from her chair, holding a slim, graceful hand to Spencer. "Spencer, when you're ready to ask the questions in your head, let me know. I will do my best to answer them. We know what you do for the FBI, but the profiling you do is not the only kind there is. I myself profiled many people during my life and human nature remains a type of hobby to me still. If you need me, call."

As she left the room, Spencer turned to his mother and asked, "Who was that woman? I know the name but can't place her."

Diana again smiled, this time without the fog and confusion that sometimes clouded her face. "Lady Heather was a well-known dominatrix in Las Vegas for many years. Life has not been kind to her, but she has become a good friend to me since she's been here and if she says to call her if you need help, she means it."

Spencer leaned back against the cushion of the leather couch next to his mother. It never ceased to amaze him how the path of one's life can be changed, only by mentioning a book.


End file.
